A MITOCHONDRIAL MOLECULAR MARKER, ORI-REP-TRA, FOR DIFFERENTIATION OFYEAST SPECIES

Yeasts exhibit various mechanisms for the inheritance of their mitocho ndrial genomes. Differences among these mechanisms are based on variat ions within nuclear as well as mitochondrial genetic elements. Here we report diagnostic differences in the presence of biologically active mitochondrial intergenic sequences, ori-rep-tra, among related yeasts in the genera Saccharomyces, Arxiozyma, Debaryomyces, Kluyveromyces, P achytichospora, Torulaspora, and Zygosaccharomyces. A molecular probe containing ori-rep-tra can be employed specifically for the differenti ation and identification of isolates belonging to the species complex Saccharomyces sensu stricto.